The Fashionably Late Top 66 of 2017: Molly Burch

It’s been a hell of a year. 2017 was exhausting, stressful, and at times just plain terrifying. But for all the mess that’s happened over the past 12 months, and there’s certainly been so much, there’s also been a lot of good going on in the world. From a musical standpoint, for instance, 2017 was rather exceptional. There were so many glorious new sounds to take in.

I’ve put together my list of favorites from the year that was, a touch fashionably late as always. Once again, I’ve decided to eschew a ranking system and instead give you an alphabetical look at the records I fell for this year. There’s some names here that will come as no surprise to anyone, and perhaps a few that might surprise you. These are simply my favorites from 2017, the albums I went back to again and again, the albums that I swooned over. So, without further exposition, here’s my list. I think you’ll find you can get your kicks from any and all of the 66 records I’ve chosen, and I truly hope you’ll find some treasures to cherish, as I cherish each and every record here. Many, many thanks to the artists who put out this fantastic music, their sounds helped make 2017 bearable.

Who: Molly Burch

What: Please Be Mine

When: February 2017

Where: Captured Tracks

Why: It's not hard to believe that Molly Burch grew up listening to Patsy, Billie, and Nina. Her husky, spotlight-ready voice owes much to her forebears, as does the vintage-inspired songs that back her commanding vocals. "I could be your dream girl," Burch sings in album opener "Downhearted," and the sense of love and longing is palpable, as it is throughout each treasured song on the record. Please Be Mine is truly the stuff dreams are made of, and I'm continually blown away that this is Burch's debut. A true modern classic.  

[posted 2.18.18]